Paw Power
You might not expect a hospice volunteer to have four legs, yet some of the most therapeutic visitors at Stella Maris are dogs. Animals under the guidance of a volunteer are a soothing presence for pet-lovers in transition.
“The dogs seem to know when someone is very sick,” says Marianne Yannarell, Director of Volunteer Services. “They will gently place the front of their body on the bed and let themselves be petted. It’s very soothing.”
Bobbi Compton began bringing dogs to Stella Maris 10 years ago when a fellow kennel club member was in rehabilitation following a stroke. When she saw how patients lit up when the animals arrived, she made a permanent commitment to volunteer with her Boxers.
Each Thursday, Compton attends morning prayer with one of her dogs -- Thomas or Tressa -- before visiting hospice patients. Studies show that petting an animal can reduce blood pressure. Compton has seen the dogs’ soothing effect firsthand. “There was a woman who was very gruff,” she recalls. “When I knocked on the door she would glare at me, but when she saw the dog, her whole being changed.” Even if a patient is unresponsive, dogs provide a welcome diversion to anxious family members.
“The dogs seem to know when someone is very sick,” says Marianne Yannarell, Director of Volunteer Services. “They will gently place the front of their body on the bed and let themselves be petted. It’s very soothing.”
Bobbi Compton began bringing dogs to Stella Maris 10 years ago when a fellow kennel club member was in rehabilitation following a stroke. When she saw how patients lit up when the animals arrived, she made a permanent commitment to volunteer with her Boxers.
Each Thursday, Compton attends morning prayer with one of her dogs -- Thomas or Tressa -- before visiting hospice patients. Studies show that petting an animal can reduce blood pressure. Compton has seen the dogs’ soothing effect firsthand. “There was a woman who was very gruff,” she recalls. “When I knocked on the door she would glare at me, but when she saw the dog, her whole being changed.” Even if a patient is unresponsive, dogs provide a welcome diversion to anxious family members.
